Temperatures gradually rebound ahead of showers

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) – Temperatures and moisture increase through the short term forecast as south and southwesterly flow move in behind the surface high. Temperatures will climb back into the 50s and 60s, with areas in the southeast potentially reaching 70 Thursday afternoon. A deep trough over the central U.S. as well as a subtropical shortwave over the Gulf will provide some lift to tap into the moisture levels. Timing any precipitation will be fairly difficult as blobs of vorticity provide scattered lift well ahead of the deeper polar trough. Light and isolated showers could get started in northwest Georgia as early as Wednesday afternoon, however, any  accumulations will be minimal and will just result in dreary conditions. Increasingly cloudy conditions can be anticipated across the region and the forecast period through the overnight Wednesday. The best chance for rain come Thursday afternoon as we get more consistent and broad lift. Widespread showers and thunderstorms will likely get started Thursday morning and continue into Thursday evening, and any precipitation will be fairly patchy in nature (on again off again type). No widespread severe is expected at this time, although a few rumbles of thunder may be possible. Showers and a few thunderstorms will be ongoing at the start of Thursday night into Friday morning ahead of a cold front. This rainfall look to come to an end quickly by sunrise as the front sweeps across the area with cooler, drier air quickly filtering in.  A brief return to cooler, slightly below-normal temperatures return on Friday as high pressure builds eastward amid breezy northwest winds. Temperatures near to below freezing are more likely Saturday morning as radiational cooling is maximized. A warming trend then is underway thereafter as the surface high shifts quickly into the Atlantic.